Zero tolerance against corruption in NADRA:Nisar

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Interior and Narcotics Control Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan Wednesday said that there would be zero tolerance against corruption in National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) and no employee should get involved in issuing fake identity documents.

Speaking at a press conference during his visit to NADRA headquarters, he said the authority had complete freedom to perform its functions. The organization would not be politicised, he added.

Chaudhry Nisar said when he became interior minister, he noticed that there were a lot of irregularities in NADRA. He, however, allowed everybody to work with only two restrictions.

First that corruption would not be tolerated and second nothing fake should be done in NADRA, he said, adding that issuing a fake identity card was like playing with future of the country.

The minister said he never used NADRA as a political tool. No politician, including the National Assembly Speaker or a minister had ever visited the NADRA office, he added.

He said that NADRA was neither Baitul Mal nor a recruitment agency of a political party.

He said after becoming minister, he could have terminated thousands of employees, many of them were irregularly appointed, but he did not do so. Instead the employees, who had been on foreign posting for years, were called back, he added.

He said it was his plea that the government officials coming on merit should be sent for foreign posting and details should be made available on website.

He said when their government took over, he only wanted audit of NADRA.

The minister said, “During meetings, I told the heads of organizations that if audit wes not conducted they will be sent home.”

After this, audit started in these organizations, he noted.

He said if those audit reports were made public, the nation would be surprised to know that where the money was going.

He said for Rs 1.5 million, NADRA bought a necklace which was given by a foreign dignitary for auction to help the flood victims. Then that costly necklace disappeared and now the Federal Invstigation Agency would conduct an inquiry into the matter, he added.

The minister said the performing employees should be appreciated regardless of their political affiliations.

He mentioned that a brigadier was appointed in NADRA during the tenure of Pervez Musharraf and he met that officer, who had performed his job well.

“It is not a matter of politics but it is all about performance.”

He said when the previous political government came, a man with tax background was made NADRA chairman.

He said the former chairman NADRA wanted to give him a briefing on biometrics but he did not take it and only asked him to work with fairness.

He said he never interfered in the working of NADRA and the former chairman NADRA resigned on his own, when matters came into the open.

Chaudhry Nisar said the new NADRA Chairman had full independence and authority to run the organization.

He said despite his reservations, PTI chief Imran Khan met the new NADRA Chairman. The first meeting took place when he permitted it and the second time Imran Khan met the chairman on his own.

He said there were people in NADRA, who were leaking sensitive information to outsiders.

When Imran Khan demanded change of NADRA chairman, certain information was leaked to him which should not have been done, he added.